Laundry loaders



Dec. 17, 19.68 E, WEATHERLY ETAL 3,416,438

LAUNDRY LoADERsv v Filed Aug, 18, 1967 3 sheets-sheet 1 iliiir'l..

.E1/u. Mme-RLY AW/uwer Imcg De@ 17) 1968 I E. E. WEATHERLY ETAI.3,416,438

LAUNDRY LoADERs Filed Aug 18J 34.957 y `3 Sheets-Sheet'2 INVENTORS E. E.WEATHERLY ET AL LAUNDRY LOADERS D ec. 17, 1968 Filed Aug. 18. 196'? ,f5{Sheets-Sheet g United States Patent O 3,416,438 LAUNDRY LOADERS Earl E.Weatherly, 9714 Ramona Ave., Bellflower, Calif. 90706, and Lawrence V.Drace, 2020 Howard Ave., Las Vegas, Nev. 89105 Continuation-impart ofapplication Ser. No. 648,676, June 26, 1967. This application Aug. 18,1967, Ser. N0. 661,680

13 Claims. (Cl. 100-218) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE An open-top binhaving one bottom-hinged wall outtiltable from rectangular-binconfiguration, is pivotally suspended within a horizontal U-shaped yokeof a dolly, so as to accumulate laundry items dropped into the outtiltedopen-top bin. The movable wall is then intilted to laterally compressthe load, and the compacted bin is rotated a quarter turn over ahorizontal free-roller which forms the cross-arm of the U-yoke, andallows limited longitudinal movement of the tilted bin therealong. Thisprojects the bin into the mouth of a side-loading washer for discharge,effected by means of a pallet forming the bin-bottom being then drawnlengthwise by a motoroperated endless belt which is looped over a binside-Wall. Bin rotation as well as wall tilting are separately effected,each by a pair of parallel, universal-jointed jack screws, each pairdriven respectively by a reversible electric motor, one carried by thedolly frame and the other by the bin.

This is a continuation-in-part of our pending application Ser.V No.648,676, filed June 26, 1967, entitled Laundry Loaders.

Synopsis of the invention This invention relates to devices for handlingquantities of loose materials such as pieces of fabric, like clothingand other laundry items. The invention provides a loading assemblycharacterized by a variable-size open-top bin adapted to have suchcompressible items dropped therein, such bin in loading position havinga generally rectangular-walled, upwardly-diverging funnel shape, whichafter filling, can then have one or more of its longitudinal wallsintilted to form a parallel-walled chute of uniform crosssection whichin intiting laterally compresses the loose contents of the bin. Meansare provided then to rotate the loaded chute to a transverse positionand extend it longitudinally a short distance into the mouth of areceptacle such as a Washing machine, and thereupon to eject itscontents through the open end into the receptacle. Successive operatingmeans then withdraw and revert the empty assembly to its initial uprightand outspread-sidewall loading position, ready to begin another cycle.

A loader of this general description, which is operated by compressedair, is described and claimed in our pending applicationabove-identified. In contrast, the present construction is operated by(a trio of) reversible electric motors, and also differs from thestructure of the cited application in a number of important features:The present invention utilizes parallel pairs of (motor driven)universal-jointed, jack screws to effect both the inand out-tilting ofthe bottom-hinged bin wall, and (separately) the quarter-rotation of thethen laterally compacted or intilted bin, in its pivoted movement backand forth between loading and discharge positions. In addition, thesupporting frame or dolly provides a free roller as the cross arm of ahorizontally-disposed, U-shaped yoke, between the arms of which the binis pivotally suspended so as (at all times) to rest movably against orupon the free roller which thus serves as a rotational axis 3 ,4 l 6 ,438 Patented Dec. l 7, 1 968 ICC for the bin and enables limitedlongitudinal movement of the compacted bin thereover.

Between each side of the bin and the respective U-arm of the supportingyoke, is located a generally arcuate, (enclosed) track or guideway,fixed to the dolly frame (or alternatively to the bin). A suspensionarm, aligned like the spoke of a wheel to the arcuate track, is securedat one end to a roller which is retained on the track and by the arm islengthwise movable therealong, the other end of the arm being fixedlyattached to the track-opposing structure (i.e. whichever of the bin orframe the track is not attached to). However, although the main stretchof the track is radiused from the attachment point of the suspensionarm, the latter is not radial to a concentric arc through the bin-rollerof the yoke; but at the end of the arcuate stretch of the track, thelatter continues for a successive, linear stretch. This enableslengthwise movement of the bin after its initial rotation on the freeroller so that it is then projected for a short distance into the mouthof the washing machine. These successive movements along the concentricstretches of the track are both effected by the bottomor pallet-end ofthe bin being swung between upright and transverse positions by(vertical) travel of couplings cross-hinged to the bin and threadedlycarried by the pair of parallel jack screws which are upstanding fromthe dolly frame. (Motordriven) rotation of the pair of jack screws inone direction or the other thus serves to raise or lower the palletendof the bin, causing the latter both to rotate and move lengthwise on thecross roller, following the configuration of the side tracks which arefixed on the dolly frame. Easy drive of the bin in opposite directionsalong such deviating-course track is obtained by joint use ofuniversal-jointed jack screws and their ball-bearing loaded nuts whichare cross-hinged to the bin wall and thus move lengthwise along therotating screws.

Such a unit eliminates the past piece-by-piece hand loading of a washingor drying machine, which process is both tedious and time-consuming (aswell as a potential health-hazard in handling hospital derived laundry).In some instances, hand loading may take longer than the actual washingor drying operation, and in any event it undesirably consumes humanlabor which could be more profitably and agreeably employed elsewhere.Especially in a continuous operating, volume-type operation such as acommercial laundry or dry-cleaning plant, the present mobile unit isparticularly adapted to service a plurality of such washing or dryingmachines, the unit being moved from one adjacent machine to another(manually when empty) along a short path so as to successively charge abatch or load into each in timed sequence. Such individual batches,typically presorted and weighed, may be brought to the vicinity of eachwasher or dryer by an overhead conveyer such as a sling or endless belt,or otherwise may be accumulated in an overhead hopper.

The objects of the invention include the provision of such improvedcharging or loading units or assemblies and the attainment of relatedadvantages which will become apparent from the following description ofa presently preferred embodiment of the invention which is illustratedin the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the loaderunit with the bin shownswung transverse or horizontally to its load-discharge position.

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal sectional View taken along the line 2-2 ofFIGURE l.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken through thehorizontally-disposed bin of FIGURE 1 as viewed along the line 3-3.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the unit of FIGURE 1 with the binin upswung, open, loading position, and the nearer side wall of thedolly removed, with the base plate appearing in section.

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal section taken through thehorizontally-disposed bin as viewed .along the line 5-5 of FIGURE l.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged end view of the horizontal bin as viewed alongthe line 6-6 of FIGURE 1; and

-FIGURE 7 is an axial section, partly in elevation, through a ballbearing loaded nut mounted on a jack screw.

As seen particularly in FIGURES l and 4, there is provided a mobilecarriage or dolly C having a frame formed of two permanently upright andgenerally parallel, faceseparated parts or sides 10, 12, plus afoundation or base plate 14 dependently supported on floor wheels orrollers 16, 17, 18, 19. Upon the base, externally adjacent one side wall12, is an enclosed tower 11, capped by an operating panel 13 carryingcontrol switches for the three electric motors. Transversely connectingthe inner faces of the spaced sides 10, 12, in a generally horizontal,channel member supporting along its upper edge a free roller 22 ofsomewhat shorter length than the cross brace 20 land longitudinallycentered therealong. The upper margins of the side walls 10, 12,together with the cross brace 20 and roller 22, thus form a generallyhorizontallydisposed, U-shaped yoke, of which the side arms (10, 12)pivotally support the bin B between them.

Within the generally rectangular channel area defined by the paired sidewalls 10, 12, there is mounted-in rolling registration with the freeroller 22 and held permanently suspended above the base plate 14-anopen-top, generally rectangular bin B, characterized by three fixedlongitudinal walls 24, 25, 26 (FIG. 3) and a hinged wall 27 movable on atransverse hinge axis H (FIGS. 4 and 6) toward and away from the otherwalls. By reason of a pair of lateral wings 29, 30l extending along therespective longitudinal edges of the tiltable wall 27, the four wallsjointly form a complete lateral enclosure at all times, but which has avariable internal capacity and variable-size entry mouth 28, dependingupon the angular disposition of the hinged wall 27. When the latter isoutswung with the bin in upright position (FIG. 4), in conjunction withthe fixed walls 24, 25, 26 it forms an upwardly diverging funneldisposed to (gravitationally) receive laundry items L or the likedropped fro-m an overhead hopper or `sling S which carries or`accumulates a collection of such items and releases them, usuallybatchwise in weighed amounts.

A rod 37 with end-couplings 37a, is journalled in bearing ears 34, 36projecting from the fixed wall segment 27a (FIG. 6), with each coupling37a embracing an upstanding jack screw 62, `63 and secured to acorresponding ball bearing loaded nut 3S, 39 which is rotatablytraversed by the partic-ular jack screw in driving relation. The jackscrews 62, 63 have their lower ends connected to lbevel gears G3, G4which are mounted on the base 14 and cross connected by a drive shaft`60. The first gear assembly G3 is operated by a drive belt S8 from areversible motor M2 (FIG. 2) `which is also mounted on the base 14. Eachjack screw 62, 63 is lformed with a universal joint K intermediate itstwo points of attachment (i.e. between the gear box G3 or G4 and thecross connected nuts 38, 39).

Each lateral wing 29, 30 of the hinged wall has an outwardly-projectinghanger bracket 48, 49 which pivotally mounts a ball bearing loaded nut40, 41, the aperture of which is rotatively traversed by a respectiveworm or screw 42, 44. Each of these screws is also formed with auniversal joint I intermediate its length and is proximately linked to atransverse, drive shaft 43, 45 through a bevel gear assembly G1, G2. Thelatter are driven in unison by a bin-carried reversible motor M1 throughdrive shafts 46, 47 (FIG. 3). Thus, by means of the motor Ml, thebottom-hinged or tiltable `wall 27 changes between a bin of (outtilted)funnel shape (FIG, 4l) and a (generally rectangular) discharge orchute-shape (FIG. 3) of uniform cross section. Such actuating means aremo-unted on a T-shaped bracket secured to the front wall 25.

A bottom closure for the bin B is provided .by a movable pallet P,normally located within the lower bin area adjacent the bottom 15 withinthe deeper `fully-rigid bin length segment defined by the fixed wallsegment 27a. The periphery of the pallet and particularly of its contactface 66 corresponds in shape to the interior of the bin (both of whichmay be curved at the corners), that is, the chuteor discharge-shape,when the hinged wall 27 is inswung, so that the pallet accordingly iseasily movable lengthwise therealong, acting as a ram to expel thecompacted load. The pallet is formed by a peripheral frame 68crossbraced by members 69, 70 which locate an opposite pair of rollers71, 72, each held in a bifurcate mount 73, 74 so as to rollingly contactthe inner face of the respective bin-wall 24 or 26. The remaining fixedwall 25 Iis engaged :by ball contacts 75, 76. To obtain positivemovement of the pallet in each direction, there is provided a ribbed orslotted, endless belt A, which at opposite ends of its stetch is ledover a flanged sprocket drive wheel 78 and flanged idler wheel 79, withone stretch 80 spaced outward from, yand spacedly overlying, theparallel, lateral wing 30, and its return stretch 82 closely overlyingthe inner face of fixed wall 26, within a shallow channel or guideway81.

The belt enters the interior of the bin B through an upper slot 83, andat the other end enters the open bottom beneath the pallet at 84.Initially the free ends of the belt A are brought together at one sideof the pallet and jointly inserted through la slot 85 beneath a crossplate S6 of the pallet frame, and then clamped or bolted together by thefastener 87 which has an eyebolt 88 connected to an anchorage member 89by a turnbuckle 90. The shaft 91 of the sprocket drive 78 is driven froma bin-carried motor M3 by a shaft 92 held in bearing mounts 93, 94. M3also is a three-phase, reversible electric motor which thus moves thepallet in bo-th directions. It will be seen also, that at the extremedischarge position of the pallet (when at the left of FIG. 5), thecontact plate 66 projects out beyond the `mouth of the discharging bin,so as to press laundry pieces further into the mouth of the lwasher inwhich are have been loaded. In other words, it is not sufiicient merelyto dispose the last of the laundry pieces on the edge of the outeraperture of the washer mouth from whence it may fall to the iioor beforethe door is closed; it must be pushed or delivered inside a minimumdistance which places it within the kinner rotary shell of the washingor drying machine. In other words, there should be an axial depth to thepallet so that it can extend beyond the bin mouth. Thus when theclamping slot 85 stops at the wall aperture 83, the height of the palletthereabove is greater than the distance to the edge of the bin mouth 28.

Fixedly attached to the inner face of each upright side wall 10, 12 ofthe frame and projecting upward therefrom, is a generally tubular, orclosed track T1, T2, approximately rectangular in cross section, withslot or opening 50 extending longitudinally therealong (FIG. 2.).Retained within each longitudinal track is a wheel-trolley W having asuspension arm or bar 52 projecting spoke-like outwardly through theslot 50. The outer stem or terminous of the bar 52 is then secured to anattachment fitting 55 which is xedly mounted on the respective side wall24, 26 of the bin. The arm 52 is thus generally radial to a curved orarcuate section D of the track, which is succeeded by a generallystraight o-.r linear section E.

However it will be seen from a comparison of the two extreme positionsof FIGURES 1 and 4 that in making such a transit, the trolley attachmentarm 52, SS-xed to the 4bin wall 24 or 26--also changes its slantrelative to the fixed track 'T (which is carried by the side arms 10, 12of the U-yoke). This adjustability which makes possible the horizontalthrust of the quarter-turned bin,

is also dependent upon the lateral flexibility of the pair ofbin-suspending jack screws 62, 63 which results from their universaljoints K. The functional effectiveness of these screws, in turn, resultsfrom the use of the nuts, the screw-engaging surfaces of which consistof ball bearings retained within the body of the screw (FIGURE 7). Suchball bearing loaded nuts are stated to have a mechanical efficiency ofapproximately 90% in converting torque to thrust. They are an availablearticle of commerce, supplied for example by the Saginaw Steering GearDivision of General Motors, Corporation, Saginaw, Mich., U.S.A.

Summary of operation By such mounting, the bin B, which is alwayssuspended above the base 14 lbetween the side walls or arms 10, 12 ofthe yoke and resting against the free roller 22, is freely movable (evenwhen loaded with several hundred pounds of laundry) a quarter turn orapproximately 90l between the upright loading position of FIGURE 4 andthe transverse, discharge position of FIGURE l. At the end of thearcuate portion D of the track, movement along the lineal track portionE projects the bin forward or longitudinally along the transverseposition so as to extend it more-orless inside the mouth of aside-loading washing or drying machine or other receptacle. Startingfrom the outspread, drop-loading position of FIGURE 4, the bottom-hingedwall 27 is rst .intilted to rectangular-chute position by action of thereversible motor M1 in jointly rotating the bin-carried pair ofuniversal-jointed worms or screws 42, 44. Then the laterally compactedload or bin is rotated a quarter turn over the free roller 2 by thetrolley W following the track T; this movement is effected by thereversible motor M2 rotating the upstanding pair of universal-jointedjack screws 62, v63 which thus lift the ball bearing loaded nuts 38, 39and cross rod 37 which is hinged to the rear wall 27a of the bin at 34,36. This lifts the bottom of the bin, swinging it between the jackscrews 62, 63. The load is then ejected from the open mouth 28 of thebin -by the pallet P drawn lengthwise of the bin by the belt 80, 82 inresponse to the reversible motor M3 which is also carried by the movablebin. Reversal of direction of each of the three motors then restores thecorresponding mechanisms to their initial state. The dolly can then bemoved to the next receptable and it loaded in a similar manner.

It will be apparent of course that the present construction is notlimited to the handling of laundry items, and also that the quarter turnand thrust movement of the bin may be more or less than 90 an'd alsoneed not terminate at vertical and horizontal positions. Various changesof construction and operation can be effected within the presentinventive concept which is intended to be construed broadly and notlimited to the precise details illustrated and described by way ofexample.

We claim:

1. A fabric loader of the character described for receiving andlaterally compressing a quantity of loose pieces of fabric and the likeand then expelling the cornpacted whole as into an aligned aperture of areceptacle such as a washing machine, which loader comprises incombination:

a frame having pivot means positioned along a transverse axis thereof,said frame being disposable adjacent the loading aperture of areceptacle or the like;

an open-end bin pivotally carried by said frame and movable about saidpivot means between a loading position and a discharge positiontransverse thereto, being formed with with lateral enclosure wallslongitudinally extending from the frame and collectively secured to saidpivot means in position for partial rotation of the bin lbetween loadingand discharge positions, thereby to enable fabric pieces to be receivedin the bin through the open end at loading position, and subsequently tobe transversely disposable for discharge of the bin contents therefromat discharge position at least one of the lateral enclosure walls ofsaid bin being movably mounted for selective contraction and expansionof the -bin by movement toward and away from the longitudinal axis ofsaid bin, thereby to vary the end-opening and internal capacity of thebin between that of an outwardly-diverging funnel-shape when in loadingposition to that of a chute of generally uniform cross section when indischarge position;

ejector means movable along the length of the bin to progressively emptythe same when in discharge position; and operating means adapted (a) foringathering said lateral enclosure Vwalls from said funnel shape to saiddischarge chute-shape of the bin, (ib) for rotary movement of said binabout said transverse pivot means between loading and dischargepositions, including a partially curved track located intermediate theframe and bin, and a bin-suspension element retained upon said track formovement therealong in rotary movement of the bin about the pivot means,and (c) for moving said ejector means lengthwise of the bin toward theopen-end thereof, thereby to eject its contents. 2. The loader of thepreceding claim 1 wherein said ejector means comprises a pallettransversely disposed normally within said bin remote from the open-endthereof, and a connected endless conveyor disposed longitudinally alongone of said enclosure walls and adapted to move said pallet along thebin length to progressively empty the bin when the latter is indischarge position.

3. The loader of the preceding claim 1 wherein said means for rotarymovement of said bin comprises a parallel pair of longitudinal screwseach secured at one end to said frame and extending lengthwise alongopposite sides of the bin toward the open-end, connection means hingedlysecuring said screws to said bin, and threadedly engaging the respectivescrews in driven relation, whereby joint rotation of the pair of screwsin one direction or the other will move the bin transverse thereto so asto rotate the bin about said pivot means of the frame.

4. The loader of the preceding claim 3 wherein said screws are eachformed with a universal joint located intermediate the attachments ofthe screw to the frame and to the bin.

5. The loader of the preceding claim 3 wherein the pivot means of saidframe comprises a free roller located in crosswise contact with one ofsaid lateral enclosure walls, which wall in shifting between loading anddischarge positions is partially lengthwise slidable thereover, and saidmeans for rotary movement of said bin includes a partially curved tracklocated intermediate the frame and bin, and bin-suspension meansdisposing the bin for said partial rotation of the bin for rotarymovement along the path of said trac-k, whereby at one end of suchrotary movement the bin may be moved lengthwise in conjunction with saidtrack and suspension means so as to extend and withdraw the open-end ofthe bin relative to the aperture of a washing machine or the like fordischarging the bin contents thereinto.

6. Receiving and discharging apparatus of the character described,comprising in combination:

support means including a generally U-shaped yoke spaced positioned froma base located generally parallel thereto, the cross arm of the U beingcharacterized by free roller means and the side arms of the U havingmutually aligned, transverse pivot mounts;

an elongated bin pivotally suspended by and between said pivot mountsintermediate the length of the bin in position for limited rotarymovement about and limited longitudinal movement along said free rollermeans, said bin being adapted to receive and discharge contents throughan open end;

longitudinal screw means rotatably secured to said base disposedgenerally parallel to the bin and threadedly carrying coupling meanswhich are hingedly secured to said bin opposite said free roller meansin position to tilt the bin about the roller means upon lengthwisemovement of the coupling means along the screw means by rotation of thelatter, said screw means being further characterized by a universaljoint located intermediate attachment points of the screw means to thebase and to the coupling means respectively; and

operating means for rotating said screw means selectively in oppositedirections, thus to move the bin between loading and dischargepositions.

7. The apparatus of the preceding claim 6 having at least onelongitudinal wall of said bin selectively movable toward and away fromthe longitudinal axis of the bin and having associated lateral enclosureelements which Contact adjacent bin Walls so as t0 vary the capacity ofthe bin while maintaining continuous lateral enclosure of the bin at anyposition of the movable wall.

8. The apparatus of the preceding claim 7 which includes a generallyparallel pair of universal-jointed jack screws, each connecting saidmovable wall and adjacent longitudinal walls of the bin, and drive meansfor rotating said screws in unison, selectively in opposite directions,thereby to move said longitudinal wall toward and away from thelongitudinal axis of the bin.

9. The apparatus of the preceding claim 6 which is characterized,adjacent each side arm of the U, by generally curved track means locatedbetween the yoke and bin, a rolling element retained upon said trackmeans for movement therealong, and a suspension arm extending from therolling element and thus functionally connecting said bin and yoke forrotary tilting of the bin about said free roller means upon operation ofsaid screw means.

10. The apparatus of the preceding claim 6 wherein said longitudinalscrew means comprises a pair of parallel jack screws disposed adjacentopposite sides of the bin, and said coupling means comprises a pair ofballbearing-loaded nuts, one threadedly mounted on each jack screw, saidbin thus being in position upon movement between loading and dischargepositions to swing an end of the bin between the respective jack screws.

11. The apparatus of the preceding claim 6 having ejector means movablealong the length of the bin to progressively empty the same when indischarge position.

12. The apparatus of the preceding claim 11 wherein said ejector meanscomprises a pallet transversely disposed normally within said bin remotefrom the openend thereof and a connected endless conveyor disposedlongitudinally along one of said enclosure walls and adapted to movesaid pallet along the bin length progressively to empty the bin when thelatter is in discharge position.

'13. The apparatus of the preceding claim 12 having at least onelongitudinal wall of said bin selectively movable toward and away fromthe longitudinal axis of the bin and having associated lateral enclosureelements which contact adjacent bin walls so as to vary the capacity ofthe bin while maintaining continuous lateral enclosure of the bin at anyposition of the movable wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 801,963 lO/l905 Beaty. 2,046,6077/1936 Boulade 68-210 2,538,089 l/l95l Faton 23-290 2,934,349 4/1960Collette 280-34 3,300,067 l/1967 Johansson et al. 68-210 XR 3,358,86112/1967 Gelmetti 68-210 XR FOREIGN REFERENCES 24,621 2/ 1963 Germany.

BILLY J. WILI-IITE, Primary Examiner.

IU.-S. Cl. X;R.

68-2l0g l00-233, 229, 289; 214-17, 29, 310, 510

